ONCE he was a humble student in Huddersfield, trying hard to break into football.

Yaroslav Pikunov lived in digs while studying in the town, but always dreamed of become a professional footballer.

Six clubs rejected him and he went back to his native Russia.

Now, he has a place in the squad at European Champions League club Locomotiv Moscow.

And there's no people more pleased than the staff at Huddersfield New College, where Yaroslav spent a year.

The youngster - still only 18 - studied leisure and tourism while he was with the college's soccer academy.

Academy students, many of them apprentices let go by clubs, get 15 hours' soccer training a week, alongside formal studies.

College principal Philip Forrest said:

"We're really happy with Yaroslav's success and will be watching his progress."

Thirty-one boys and 26 girls are in the academy.

Coaching is by former Manchester City player Paul Futcher and Kevin Ward, a youth coach at Manchester United.

Midfielder Pikunov came to Britain to learn English at Calderdale College in Halifax.

He transferred to the New College at Salendine Nook for the 2001/02 academic year.

Clubs where he had trials included Liverpool, Rangers, Rochdale and Derby. Burnley offered him a contract, but the deal ran into trouble because he is a non-European Union citizen.

Pikunov was signed by Locomotiv last month as a reserve team player.

He came to Britain when only 15 in a trip arranged by his mother, whose job is to organise study visits to England for Russians.

The New College Academy's co-ordinator, Gabriel Mellor, said: "Yaroslav's mother phoned me a couple of weeks ago to ask me to send some paperwork connected with his signing. I was really pleased to hear about it.

"He came to us as a naive young player showing potential and improved immensely.